Kent Finlay, Dreamer: The Musical Legacy behind Cheatham Street Warehouse

by Brian T. Atkinson, Jenni Finlay, George Strait (Foreword by)

Overview

Though not a household name for the general public, Kent Finlay (1938–2015) was one of the world’s best-known and best-loved promoters, mentors, and gurus of Texas music. In 1974, he founded the Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos as a venue for live music and an incubator for young talent. In 1977, he drove to Nashville and took with him a young, unknown singer named George Strait. On that trip, Strait recorded a demo that laid the initial foundation of his sensational career. Finlay’s friends and fans also include such Texas music fixtures as Todd Snider, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Jack Ingram, James McMurtry, Joe “King” Carrasco, Marcia Ball, Radney Foster, Eric Johnson, Hayes Carll, Omar Dykes (Omar and the Howlers), Terri Hendrix, and Ray Benson (Asleep at the Wheel). These and many others have contributed first-person interviews to this volume, which pays tribute both to Finlay and to his unselfish love for Texas music and musicians.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623493790
Publisher:	Texas A&M University Press
Publication date:	02/15/2016
Series:	John and Robin Dickson Series in Texas Music, sponsored by the Center for Texas Music History, Texas State University
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	280
File size:	76 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

BRIAN T. ATKINSON, the author of I’ll Be Here in the Morning: The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt, is a music writer, record label owner, and producer based in Austin. JENNI FINLAY is an artist manager, radio promoter, and record producer based in Austin. The daughter of Kent Finlay, she owns Eight 30 Records with Atkinson.

Table of Contents

Foreword George Strait xiii

Preface xv

Introduction 1

Part I The Story 7

My Favorite Singer 9

McCulloch County 11

West Texas 15

Music in the Blood 22

Didn't We Have Us a Time 25

San Angelo to San Marcos 31

The High Cotton Express 34

Hondo 37

Cheatham Street Warehouse 43

Right or Wrong 58

Texas Flood 65

I've Written Some Life 69

The Sky Above, The Mud Below 71

Twenty-Four Hours a Day 73

A Voice in the Wilderness 77

Good Time Van 79

Purgatory Road 82

Home Again 85

Don't Tell Me 87

Lost and Found 90

Blanco River Meditation #2 93

Legacies 95

Part II The Players 103

Marcia Ball 107

Darrell Staedtler 110

George Strait 113

Ray Wylie Hubbard 116

Omar Dykes (Omar and the Howlers) 119

Cleve Hattersley (Greezy Wheels) 121

Jon Dee Graham (The Skunks) 124

Jesse Sublett (The Skunks) 126

Will Sexton 129

Joe Ely 132

Monte Montgomery 134

Eric Johnson 137

Joe "King" Carrasco 140

Ernie Durawa (Texas Tornadoes) 142

Diana Finlay Hendricks 145

Travis Warren (Blind Melon) 152

Radney Foster 155

Walt Wilkins 157

Bruce Robison 161

Terri Hendrix 164

Todd Snider 168

James McMurtry 174

John Arthur martinez 177

Hal Ketchum 182

Slaid Cleaves 185

Adam Carroll 188

Randy Rogers 191

Cody Canada (Cross Canadian Rgeweed, The Departed) 197

Willy Braun (Reckless Kelly) 200

William Clark Green 202

Hayes Carll 205

Robert Ellis 208

Joe Pug 210

Steve Poltz 212

Scott H. Biram 215

Sunny Sweeney 217

Brennen Leigh 219

Noel McKay 221

Jamie Wilson (The Trishas) 222

Robyn Ludwick 224

Owen Temple 226

Jack Ingram 228

Afterword 233

Postscript 237

Index 249

Editorial Reviews

"Easy flowing biography with intimate details chronicling his life, from the cotton fields of his boyhood to his professional career as songwriter, educator, and businessman." — Texas Monthly, January 2016

Texas Monthly

"The Table of contents reads llike a who's who of Texas singer-songwriters. This warm and engaging book is fitting tribute to the place and the man who gave it life." — Texas Music

Texas Music

"Easy flowing biography with intimate details chronicling his life, from the cotton fields of his boyhood to his professional career as songwriter, educator, and businessman." — Texas Monthly, January 2016

Texas Monthly